Why Wasn't A Recovery Helicopter On The Scene Of The Downed Balloon?....

Set 'em straight, already.

to these kinds of questions!

shut down half of the internet?

No way they are just going to let it sink away into the ocean depths. Yep, divers will get all that shit.

close enough to see the bits impact the water and grab them before they could sink.

Would you?

Easy peasy.

The balloon's debris is now spread in a 7 mile radius. Seven miles.

Granted the balloon kind of meandered its way down. But, not like a parachuted object. Most likely, there were government ships in the vicinity to grab the largest debris as it hit the water.

That's why the recovery helicopter doesn't launch until the capsule is in the water.

While thankfully we never had all three parachutes fail, we have had 1 fail.

The astronaut or accident blew the hatch too soon after splash down and the capsule began to take on water, gain weight and the helicopter with cable attached to the capsule could not lift the added weight requiring the capsule to be cut loose and sink.

Things happen. Plans fail.
The astronaut was safe.

If we can do that, I think we can handle 47 feet of water.

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/22/1019254674/gus-grissom-liberty-bell-mercury-the-right-stuff

Was happy he was exonerated!

I doubt the balloon had one.

No 2. What is the lifting capability of your hypothetical helicopter. I’ve read they estimate that the balloon carried a ton of equipment, in addition to God knows how much weight for the balloon itself, which would be water logged.

No 3. They would have had to use divers anyway. You know, like when the space capsules are recovered. And what are they going to hook on to before that shredded mess sinks? It doesn’t have lifting hooks.

No. 4. 47 feet isn’t exactly the depth of the Titanic. Divers can easily reach it. They can take their time to inspect the debris, figure out what’s there, and how to safely lift it, instead of scrambling while the whole mess was sinking.

Please be the guy asking people to volunteer to wait under the school bus as it’s shot out of the sky. That thing was destined to sink like a rock. No matter what he did ….it was the wrong thing because people just have to have crap to talk about.

right under the balloon. Both could have been miles away. A helicopter could have been on the scene quickly and on its way to the site as soon as the wreckage hit the water.

If it could snag the wreckage before it sank it might have been able to keep it on or close to the surface till a ship was on the scene.

I heard that the wreckage came down still in U.S. waters and not past 12 miles to land in international waters.

I'm pretty confident that a ship could have been on the scene quickly.

There is probably technology available that we have to predict were the wreckage could have come down - given weather & wind conditions; estimated weight of the balloon; direction of the hit by the pilot; and currents in the ocean.

We have brilliant personnel in the military and they had since Wednesday to work out a number of scenario's to give them data to make such decisions.

My OP was just asking what I thought was a legitimate question. I didn't anticipate fellow DU'ers to take me to task.

Sorry I even brought it up.

Guess we'll just have to wait until the MSM talking heads on the cable news shows tell it like it is.

I wonder why they didn't do any of them? Any ideas?

Is snark replies your thing💀🤙

for failing to do a bunch of things they (supposedly) should have done. I am wondering why the OP thinks the people in charge, experts in these matters, failed to do those things.

Nonsense - give it a rest.

It's what was said. Responses are fair.

Op asked a question out of curiosity and you responded with a rude comment.

Mostly ridiculous, but I don’t remember you snarking so much then.

Why attack the OP for asking a question on a discussion board?

I don’t get it.

And come on now, do you really believe the military isn’t capable of incompetence? As a veteran, I can assure that’s not the case.

Sarcasm isn’t rude, necessarily nor in this reply, imo. Ya gotta really sit back n enjoy this crazy show

than a helicopter can travel 10 miles.

And then what?

Hope that it grappling ring just happens to be sticking up?

I thought your question was not unreasonable and, even if it was and was posted in good faith, it would not have warranted the the rude, condescending snark it attracted (which sadly seems too often to be a feature here).

Sheese, even your reasoned response to the snark has drawn more of the same.

I agree, The snark and mockery was inappropriate.

Maybe we need a congressional oversight committee
for balloon debris recovery.

Something that may explode, something radioactive.

Navy or CIA divers. There's probably been a ship or sub in the area within half an hour of the downing.

Haele

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Combat_Dive_Course

In fact, every branch of the service has trained scuba divers.

When you think of the USAF you don't think of divers.

But yes divers have been pulling flight crews out of the water since WWII.

You probably didn't know that as a general rule the AF avoids being in the water at all costs.

If there is a water job, it is going to be the Navy who handles it.
The Navy also has water worthy aircraft, divers, boats, etc.

Yes the USAF probably has divers and water rescue, but their heart and soul is not in the water.
It is in the AIR.

And it falls in an unpredictable pattern.

And the NASA choppers? They don't launch until the capsule is in the water.

Imagine the embarrassment to the administration if the balloon down one of our choppers!

the web of excuses from the Chinese government like a net. Oh wait. Too flimsy.

why haven't you voiced you're concerns to the military about this supposed lapse in judgement?

Is going to find and recover every damn piece of this balloon.

It apparently is spread over about 7 miles of water less than 50" deep.

It was brought down in this area, and it was NOT by accident.

I saw us find and recover an F18 in the middle of the Pacific.

Besides, I am pretty damn sure that we probably know more about the equipment it carried and what it was doing throughout its entire transit than the Chinese do.

Folks that haven't served have no idea how professional, well-equipped and lethal the United States military is.

It may take a little time, but every little piece of equipment will be recovered by the US.

…it might be quickly handled even with a snorkel

Don't get discouraged, everybody is a comedian.

You got to be kidding............


What do they want to know??? It is all on the internet.

...................... maps, pictures, whatever...(nude people) whatever...movies, full length and short ones, cartoons, sports,
late night shows, early moring shows, mid day shows, quiz shows, all over the internet..... .and my ideas too

Because we were not shown any photos?

Or because we were not told about it?

I'm not sure we should make that assumption.

Don't ask me any questions, I just know these things....

Did the might F22 Raptor missile kill the ballon…or the payload…hit rather low didnt it?

The only thing needing recovery is peoples healthy distrust of government, any government.

Did the might F22 Raptor missile kill the ballon…or the payload…hit rather low didnt it?

The only thing needing recovery is peoples healthy distrust of government, any government.

Show me the beef! 🍔 Double burger 🍔 🍔 if it’s military going public then going silent!

They are going to need a bigger helicopter.

if we haven't all been had by China. Think about it. Why would China, a country with spy satellites and advanced technology, send a giant balloon that might well have had "Chinese Spy Balloon" in neon letters on the side over the reddest areas of the country. They've managed to create a giant brouhaha with Republicans stirred up like bees on crack and it makes me wonder what they're really up to.